Italian mafia mobsters murdered a 3-year-old boy and burned his body after his grandfather failed to settle a drug debt, police say.

The charred remains of tiny toddler Nicola Campolongo, nicknamed Coco, were discovered in a burned-out car in the Southern Italy town of Cassano allo Ionio over the weekend.

The corpses of his grandfather Salvatore Iannicelli, 52, and his Moroccan girlfriend Ibtissa Touss, 27, were next to the boy.

A 50-cent coin was placed on top of the vehicle, which investigators believe is a sign that Iannicelli had not paid a drug debt.

Cops think the killers and victims were from rival clans affiliated to the deadly Calabria-based mafia.
Iannicelli was reportedly caring for his grandson because the boy’s mom and dad are both in jail, accused of trafficking mind-bending hallucinogenic drugs.

The crime has shocked Italy.

“Every line has now been crossed,” investigating Prosecutor Franco Giacomantonio told La Stampa. “How can anyone kill a 3-year old boy in this way? In many years of work, I think this will be the most brutal murder that it has been my duty to investigate,” he added.